Collection box for syringe needles

ABSTRACT

A collection box has a cover plate provided with a multiplicity of square openings into which a needle is inserted detachably fastened at a one-way-syringe, whereby the head of the needle is caught behind the sharp-edged inside border of the opening and the syringe can be pulled off from the needle which is being held in position by a disinfectant filling into which the needle has been pierced.

United States Patent Schwarz 1 1 Apr. 8, 1975 [5 1 COLLECTION BOX FORSYRINGE 1.213.289 1/1917 Soloff 206/635 1.476.401 12/1923 Hechmer206/354 NEEDLES 1.911598 6/1933 Snadden 232/43.1 [76] Inventor: HelmutSchwarz, be1 y. 87 2.034.006 3/1936 Smith 206/635 Rengers/Allgau,Germany 3261.456 7/1966 Sparks v 1 206/523 3348.894 10/1967 DeBerry....312/209 1221 1973 3.48L462 12/1969 Chapel 206/438 [2]] Appl. No.:388,644

Primary ExaminerWi11iam T. Dixson, Jr.

[52] U.S. Cl. 206/205; 21/82 H; 206/366;

206/635; 232/431; 312/209 [57] ABSTRACT 511 1m. (:1. 1. 865d 25/00;B65f7/O0 A Collection box has a cover Plate prowded with 9 [58] Field ofSearch 206/210, 354, 359. 366, multiplicity of Square Openings intowhich a needle is 20 /209 433 5,35 523 205 527; 232 3 inserteddetachably fastened at a one-way-syringe. 43 2 433; 21/32 H, 32 3 2 209;2 2 5 whereby the head of the needle is caught behind the sharp-edgedinside border of the opening and the sy- 5 References cu ringe can bepulled off from the needle which is being UNITED STATES PATENTS held inposition by a disinfectant filling into which the needle has beenpierced. 819 678 5/1906 Simmons 206/635 1,0451%)? 1 [/1912 Payne 206/3667 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures COLLECTION BOX FOR SYRINGE NEEDLES Inhospitals more and more one-way-syringes are used consisting of asyringe and a detachably fastened needle. This invention relates to asafe collection of the needles after use in such way that no risk isentailed for others with a view to either injury or infection duringcollection and transport to a trash dump.

One object of the invention is to provide a box for collecting usedneedles of syringes. the needles having a head by which they can bedetaehably fastened on syringes the box having a housing at least onewall of which being provided with a multiplicity of openings throughwhich a needle is insertable into the housing, the edges of the openingsare shaped in such a way that an abutment is formed for the needle headpreventing an outward movement of the needle when the syringe is pulledoff.

Further objects consist in that the walls of the openings taper to theinside of the housing. that the openings have a square configuration andthat the borders of the openings at the inner surface of the wall aresharpedgedv After use the syringe with its needle is inserted in one ofthe openings and pressed'slightly until the head of the needle is caughtbehind the sharp-edged inside bor tier of the wall provided with themultiplicity of openings. The syringe then can be pulled off from theneedle and thrown away. The needle has been pierced through a plasticfoam wall arranged beneath the wall heaving the multiplicity ofopenings. so that the needle will be anchored. Within the housing thereis a filling of disinfectant material enclosed by a tightly closedplastic foil which is also pierced through by the needle during itsinsertion. Within the filling is a slight vacuum so that any liquid restwithin the needle will be sucked into the filling. Because of the squareshape of the openings needle heads of different sizes and shapes can beused. Even needles provided with very small heads can be inserted andanchored when the corners of the square openings are used to strip offthe needle from the syringe. Also heads of greater diameter can bepressed through the square openings as it would be possible if theopenings would have a circular shape.

In the following detailed description two examples will be described.

FIG. I shows a perspective view of a storage box for syringe needles.

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 show the way in which the needles are anchored withinthe box and stripped from the syringe.

FIG. 5 shows a longitudinal cross-section of the box according to FIG.1, and

FIG. 6 shows a cross-section ofa further embodiment of the storage box.

A box 10 consists of an upper portion 12 and a lower portion 14. Both ofthe portions l2, 14 have outer flanges contacting each other and beingheld together undetachably by rivets 16. The upper portion II has a wall18 provided with a multiplicity of openings. This wall has theconfiguration ofa grid plate. The openings 20 all are of equal squareshape and the cross-section of which is greater at the outer surfacethan at the inner surface of each opening. That means that the openingstaper to the inside of the box. Both of the walls are made of plasticmaterial.

Within the box 10 immediately below the wall 18 an anchoring plate 22 isprovided consisting of slightly piercable material as foamed plastics.The anchoring plate 22 has supporting walls 24 standing on the lower boxportion 14. Below the anchoring plate 22 a filling 26 is provided withinthe box containing a disinfectant solution and which is tightlysurrounded by an envelope 28 in form of a sealed plastic foil. Withinthe envelope 28 a low pressure exists.

When a needle 32 detachably fastened on a syringe 30 is inserted into anopening 20 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 2 first the plasticfoam anchoring plate 22 and then the envelope 24 is pierced. Because ofthe vacuum within the filling any liquid rest is sucked into thefilling. When the syringe is pressed slightly into the box the head 34of the needle 32 is deformed elastically by the shape of the openinginside edges and then is caught behind the wall 18 (FIG. 3). In thisposition the needle is securely anchored within the box by the resilienteffect of the plastic foam plate holding the head of the needle againstthe wall 18 and by the filling 26 am choring the front portion of theneedle. Now the syringe 30 can be pulled off(FlG. 4) and the needle 32remains in the box.

The supporting walls 24 of the plate 22 prevent the filling 26 frombeing pressed when a needle is inserted and a reaction force is createdby the anchoring plate 22. Therefore no over pressure can be producedwithin the filling. which could result in pressing liquid rests throughthe needles outside of the box. The square configuration of each opening20 permits the use of a larger number of different shaped and sizedneedle heads 34 as it would be the case with circular openings, becauseheads of circular cross-section can be elastically deformed at a greaterextent by square openings and if there are especially small heads thecorners of the edges can be used catching the heads. It is importantthat the lower border of the openings in the wall 18, that means theborder at the inner surface of that wall is made sharp-edged.

FIG. 6 shows a cylindric box 40, the whole circumferential wall of whichbeing provided with a multiplicity of openings. The box 40 is rotatablysupported in a housing 42 substantially surrounding the box 40 leavingfree only an axially extending slot 44 providing access for one row ofopenings into which needles can be inserted. After this row of openingshas been filled the box is rotated for a small angle until the next rowof openings is accessible. In the box 40 also anchoring means beingprovided in this embodiment having a cylindric shape. but made ofslightly piercable material as the plate 22. Within the anchoringcylinder a filling is provided as the filling 26 of the embodiment ofFIG. 1 5. Below the cylindric box 40 a sponge 46 is disposed within thehousing absorbing any liquid from the box.

It is common to all embodiments that a one-handperformance permits thesecure anchoring of syringe needles in a storage box which having beenfilled with needles can be transported without danger for others with aview to either injury or infection.

What l claim is:

l. Storage box for used syringe needles. comprising a closed box; agrid-forming plurality of tapered inwardly-narrowing openings formed inat least one wall of said closed box for insertion of respectively oneneedle into each opening. said openings each having a generally squaresharp-edged configuration facilitating insertion therethrough into thebox of the needle only and forming a stop for the needle head uponwithdrawing the syringe so as to separate the syringe from the needleand retain said needle within said storage box; and an anchoring platefor said needles located within said closed box proximate to andcoextensive with the wall having said openings. said anchoring platebeing constituted of a material readily piercable by said needles.whereby upon insertion of a used needle through said anchoring plate andsubsequent withdrawal of the syringe will cause said needle to remainembedded in said anchoring plate with the point of the needle beinglocated within the closed box and the needle head being positionedbetween anchoring plate and the wall having said openings 2. Storage boxas claimed in claim 1, comprising a filling in said closed boxcontaining a disinfectant solution; and a liquid-impervious envelope ofpiercable material encompassing said filling.

3. Storage box as claimed in claim 2, said anchoring plate includingsupporting walls supported interiorly of the box for preventingcompression of said filling.

4. Storage box as claimed in claim 2, comprising maintaining theinterior of said envelope with the filling at a reduced pressure.

5. Storage box as claimed in claim 1, said closed box being made of twopermanently fastened parts.

6. Storage box as claimed in claim 1, said closed box beingsubstantially cylindrical and having the circumfercntial cylindricalwall thereof provided with said plurality of openings.

7. Storage box as claimed in claim 6, comprising a housing. saidcylindrical box being rotatably supported within said housing so thatthe latter encompasses at least the cylindrical wall of the box; and alongitudinal slot extending parallel to the rows of openings of the boxformed in said housing providing access from exteriorly to at least oneof said rows at any time.

1. Storage box for used syringe needles, comprising a closed box; agrid-forming plurality of tapered inwardly-narrowing openings formed inat least one wall of said closed box for insertion of respectively oneneedle into each opening, said openings each having a generally squaresharp-edged configuration facilitating insertion therethrough into thebox of the needle only and forming a stop for the needle head uponwithdrawing the syringe so as to separate the syringe from the needleand retain said needle within said storage box; and an anchoring platefor said needles located within said closed box proximate to andcoextensive with the wall having said openings, said anchoring platebeing constituted of a material readily piercable by said needles,whereby upon insertion of a used needle through said anchoring plate andsubsequent withdrawal of the syringe will cause said needle to remainembedded in said anchoring plate with the point of the needle beinglocated within the closed box and the needle head being positionedbetween anchoring plate and the wall having said openings.
 2. Storagebox as claimed in claim 1, comprising a filling in said closed boxcontaining a disinfectant solution; and a liquid-impervious envelope ofpiercable material encompassing said filling.
 3. Storage box as claimedin claim 2, said anchoring plate including supporting walls supportedinteriorly of the box for preventing compression of said filling. 4.Storage box as claimed in claim 2, comprising maintaining the interiorof said envelope with the filling at a reduced pressure.
 5. Storage boxas claimed in claim 1, said closed box being made of two permanentlyfastened parts.
 6. Storage box as claimed in claim 1, said closed boxbeing substantially cylindrical and having the circumferentialcylindrical wall thereof provided with said plurality of openings. 7.Storage box as claimed in claim 6, comprising a housing; saidcylindrical box being rotatably supported within said housing so thatthe latter encompasses at least the cylindrical wall of the box; and alongitudinal slot extending parallel to the rows of openings of the boxformed in said housing providing access from exteriorly to at least oneof said rows at any time.